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Saturday, April 13, 2013

A to Z April Challenge: L is for Lucretia

This is Day 12 of the A to Z April Challenge. My theme is women with unusual names although
I must cheat now and then or I’ll have a name and no story.

is for Lucretia Ann Jollett, my second
great grandaunt, sister to my second great grandfather James Franklin
Jollett. Lucretia was the baby of the
family born to Fielding and Mary Ann Armentrout Jollett on September 18, 1838,
in Rockingham County, the same county where she lived her entire life.

Two mysteries surround Lucretia’s life. The first concerns her husband. Lucretia
first married Jacob Haskell Shiflett in August 1858. They had two daughters: Mary (Mayhew) (1859-Before 1955) and Martha (McCauley)(1863-Before
1955). But something happened to Jacob –
I don’t know if he died in the Civil War or if they divorced. Poof!

In 1871 Lucretia found love once again and married
Thomas Shiflett. They had two more
children: James William Newton “Will” (1873-1955)
and John Thomas Sylvester “Sell” (1876-1958).

And the second mystery concerns the family dynamic. Was Lucretia on the outs with daughter
Mary? One reason I suspect so is that
when Lucretia purchased land from her brother James Franklin Jollett, she
expressed in the deed her intention that her two sons and her son-in-law, Martha's husband, would inherit the land if she outlived her husband:

To
have and to hold the said Lucretia Ann Shifflett during her life time & not
to be liable for any debt or debts of her said husband and after her decease to
become the property of James Wm. Newton Shifflett and John Thomas Sylvester
Shifflett and William Jackson Viaral McCauley, the two former being children of
the said Thomas S. Shifflett & Lucretia Ann his wife provided that the said
mother survives her said husband. But if
her said husband survives her, the said Lucretia Ann Shifflett, then the said
Thomas S. Shifflett is to hold the said lot & appurtenances thereto
belonging during the remainder of his life, and at his decease, the said lot
and appurtenances thereto belonging shall by this conveyance belong to and
become the property of the children before mentioned.

No mention of Mary.

Then look at Lucretia’s will:

I will and bequeath
unto my lawful husband Thomas S. Shifflett all of my real estate and personal
property to hold and use or to dispose of as he feels desposed to do after
first paying all of my lawful debts and burying expenses-also I will or bequest
to each of my children Mary E., my love, Martha F. McCauley, J.W. Shifflett and
John F. Shifflett one dollar each.

Witness my bond
this day 10th of August 1900

Mary gets
nothing? The other three got a dollar,
assuming they also would get the land eventually.

This is full of said mystery, but the one Un-said is: husbands 1 & 2 with same last name....brothers? cousins? At least she kept ALL her children with the same last name. Poor Mary...didn't EVEN get 'said dollar'.

Oh, in the Shenandoah Valley, the Shiflett/Shifflet/Shifflett/Shiflette/Shiplet/Shiplett/Sheplet line goes on forever. It's more common than Smith and Jones. I have not found a connection between the two husbands, but I'm sure if we go back far enough, they were distantly related.

I'm loving the name here. It is so interesting. The story is interesting too. Can you imagine anyone inheriting a dollar today? It would practically be an insult. Guess the land makes up for it though. Best of the day to you, Wendy:)

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About Me

My name is Wendy. About twenty years ago, I helped my mother research the Jolletts. Since retiring from teaching, I have expanded my research which I share here. When I’m not looking for my own family, I index for FamilySearch and the Greene County Historical Society.
Welcome to Jollett Etc. Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. If you have more information or believe we are related, EMAIL ME at wendymath at cox dot net